Ford 2011 Flex Owner's Manual page 270

Driving
D (Drive)
The normal driving position for the best fuel economy. Transmission
operates in gears one through six.
M (Manual) SelectShift Automatic™ Transmission (SST) with
Grade Assist
Initially, moving the lever to M (Manual) activates grade assist and
cancels overdrive.
Grade assist:
• Provides additional grade (engine)
braking for downhill driving and
extends lower gear operation on
uphill climbs for hilly terrain or
mountainous areas.
• Provides additional engine
braking through the automatic
transmission shift strategy which
reacts to vehicle inputs (vehicle
acceleration, accelerator pedal,
brake pedal and vehicle speed).
This will increase engine RPM
during engine braking.
• The grade assist lamp in the
instrument cluster is illuminated.
Grade assist is designed to aid the
driver with optimal gear selection in
hilly terrain or mountainous areas
but is not intended for normal operation. It is recommended that you
return to O/D (overdrive mode) on flat terrain to provide the best fuel
economy and transmission function.
To return to normal D (Drive) position (with O/D), do one of the
following:
• Move the shift lever back from M (Manual) to D (Drive).
• Press the paddle shifters to exit grade assist and enable control of
selecting the gear you desire using the paddle shifters on the steering
wheel. This is called SelectShift Automatic™ Transmission (SST)
mode.
-The grade assist lamp in the instrument cluster will not be illuminated.
-The transmission will operate in gears one through six.
270
2011 Flex (471)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA (fus)